Welcome to our first episode of “In Walks a Woman Writer”!

We are proud to kick off this special author series with talented Kansas poet and veteran teacher, Melissa Fite Johnson. You are in for a treat as Melissa’s warmth will make you feel welcome, and, like Sonja and Vanessa, you’ll be grateful for Melissa’s shrewd insights about life and writing.

Melissa’s third collection, Midlife Abecedarian, is filled with nostalgia, self-discovery, and a wisdom that only comes through reflecting deeply on one’s younger self…or is it selves? After she shares her poems on the show today, you’ll wonder why-oh-why you don’t already have this collection on your bedside table, right at the top of your TBR stack. Melissa’s poetry is honest, precisely crafted, and nothing short of revelatory. Plus, pop culture pulses through her verses. In fact, if you remember what it was like to look for videos at a Blockbuster store, Melissa’s recollections of being a teen in the 1990's will feel like cozying up in your favorite oversized sweater.

We discover so much in this conversation, including Melissa’s literary influences, her unique writing process, and why she believes poetry should be for everyone. Along the way, we blow kisses to a young Luke Perry in his white t-shirt, try to dress like So-Called Claire Danes, and Poetry and Pro Wrestling go on a date.

REFERENCES:

Melissa loves her hometown bookstore, The Raven, right here in Lawrence, Kansas, so if you want to buy her book, she’d love it if you’d check them out.

Midlife Abecedarian is published by Riot in Your Throat Press.

Melissa Fite Johnson’s website is here.